1
as in to exploit
to control or take advantage of by artful, unfair, or insidious means
the con man would slyly manipulate the emotions of his marks in order to win their sympathy and trust
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to manage
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
spin doctors manipulating the data to make it seem more favorable to their preferred candidates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to negotiate
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care
manipulated the schedule of presidential primaries so that the choice of the party elders would win the nomination
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of manipulate
To showcase its capabilities, the team used the technology to manipulate three-dimensional objects in virtual reality and direct a robotic hand to play the piano.
—
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 10 June 2026
Bobby also expressed his belief that Gypsy Rose, who served eight and a half years in prison for her part in the crime before being released in January 2024, had learned to manipulate people from Dee Dee.
—Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
In Andoni Iraola’s man-marking system, Senesi was front-footed and never afraid to follow centre-forwards all over the pitch, which is beneficial to counter pressing but can be manipulated by good teams.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 10 June 2026
That sets these findings apart from other instances where skeletal remains of prehistoric societies were found to be physically manipulated in similar ways.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 10 June 2026
Bobby also expressed his belief that Gypsy Rose, who served eight and a half years in prison for her part in the crime before being released in January 2024, had learned to manipulate people from Dee Dee.
—Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
In Andoni Iraola’s man-marking system, Senesi was front-footed and never afraid to follow centre-forwards all over the pitch, which is beneficial to counter pressing but can be manipulated by good teams.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 10 June 2026
That sets these findings apart from other instances where skeletal remains of prehistoric societies were found to be physically manipulated in similar ways.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulate
Verb
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More to Explore In hundreds of grim mines, Sicilian children were exploited in slave-like conditions.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
15 June 2026
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Tensions between Sunnis and Shias have long been exploited in the rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Interim manager Chad Tracy has now managed against every AL East team.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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Hydrotherapy is the main draw and is especially helpful for active travelers or anyone managing chronic pain.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Canada negotiates lower drug prices for all its citizens under its universal health care system.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
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Again, this could be negotiated.—
Chris McKenna,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Subscriptions started at $88 per week and included almost 300 templates for fake websites designed to deceive customers, a dashboard that allowed criminals to monitor their campaigns, a discussion forum where users could find collaborators and receive support, and keylogging capabilities.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
13 June 2026
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No, your eyes do not deceive you.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
Verb
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International sales are handled by Fremantle with support from De Maio Entertainment.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 June 2026
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In a highly unusual arrangement, the UFC has been handling much of the ticket access to the event, not the White House itself.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Angelina Guatemala, 64, counted on federal food stamps after retiring a couple of years ago in Ogden, Kansas, from assorted jobs arranging flowers, decorating cakes in shops, and preparing meals.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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How to Make Homemade Croutons In the Oven Preheat the oven to 450°F and arrange the rack in the middle position.—
Anne Wolf,
Martha Stewart,
18 June 2026
Verb
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The pending bill’s supporters say its changes are designed to address cases like that of Gilberto Guttierrez, a Los Angeles County man who has been accused of attacking his wife four times over the last 12 years.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
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Clemens concluded by addressing the friction between league initiatives and the personal values of the players on the field.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Humans near the site must be receptive to the animals, and a community needs a contingency plan in case the beavers engineer too close to human infrastructure.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
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The production design and costume design reveal a colorful world that feels ’60- inspired, where some children are genetically engineered for enhanced academic ability and the internet no longer exists for everyday human consumption.—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Manipulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulate. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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